11.25.2008

video targeting problem gamblers shown on casino bus

I thought this Boston Globe article was pretty interesting... In the Boston area, buses catering to Asians, transporting them to the Mohegan Sun casino, have been showing a video warning passengers of the dangers of problem gambling: Mixed messages.

The five-minute video, which is showing on buses leaving from Quincy, Lowell, Boston and other spots in Massachusetts, is intended to catch the attention of Asians who might think they have a problem as they ride down to the casino.

Depending on the audience, the DVD is dubbed in Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, or Khmer, all with English subtitles. It alerts them to the signs and symptoms of problem gambling and tells them of resources for help.

As we are aware, problem gambling is a particularly difficult problem among Asians. I'm curious how effective these videos are going to be in getting the message across to a problem gambler on his or her way to the casino. I guess the hope is that somewhere, somehow, the message will poke through to the right person.